Glasgow: The Scottish Football Association will not support Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president after losing confidence in the leadership of world football's governing body, chief executive Ian Maxwell said Monday. Maxwell stated that the Scottish FA had aligned itself with the position adopted by UEFA and its 55 member associations following the collapse of Infantino's controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
According to Anadolu Agency, Maxwell expressed the Scottish FA's complete agreement with UEFA's statement citing a lack of confidence in FIFA's leadership. This announcement coincided with the appointment of Belgian Sebastian Pocognoli as Scotland's new national team head coach. Maxwell emphasized that the Scottish FA would not be voting for Gianni Infantino in the reelection scheduled for early 2027.
Maxwell further clarified that the association's stance had been clear since UEFA's members convened to discuss the crisis, reinforcing the notion that '55 nations are stronger than one voice.' He dismissed claims suggesting the Scottish FA's reluctance to criticize Infantino was due to its president, Mike Mulraney, chairing FIFA's Finance Committee.
The Scottish FA's decision adds to the pressure on Infantino after FIFA's plan to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) as a subsidiary was abandoned. The proposal involved selling a minority stake of up to 20% to private investors, aiming to raise $4.2 billion based on an initial valuation of $20 billion, while FIFA retained control and used the proceeds for development funding across its 211 member associations.
After facing widespread opposition, FIFA withdrew the proposal, acknowledging mistakes in the process and communication but maintaining it acted within its regulatory framework. A joint open letter from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf accused FIFA's leadership of 'deception' and labeled the FFE process a 'profound failure of judgement,' rejecting FIFA's plan for an internal review and advocating for an independent third-party investigation.
Simultaneously, FairSquare, a nonprofit group advocating accountability in sports, urged FIFA to declare Infantino ineligible for another term. In its letter to FIFA's Review Committee, FairSquare contested the interpretation of Infantino's terms, arguing that he is already serving his third and final term as FIFA president.
FIFA's statutes limit the presidency to three terms, whether consecutive or not. Infantino was first elected in February 2016, reelected in 2019, and again in 2023. FIFA regards the 2016-2019 period as completing an interrupted mandate, categorizing 2019-2023 as his first full term and 2023-2027 as his second.
FairSquare disputes this interpretation, highlighting the absence of a clear basis in FIFA's statutes and a lack of detailed justification. The organization contends that extending Infantino's presidency until 2031 would violate FIFA's term-limit rules. Despite leading FIFA for over a decade, Infantino has announced his reelection bid for 2027, with no rival candidate yet entering the race.